Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-19
A COUNTY ROAD.
The Circuitous Route to Decatur-A Jump
Ch-Sarrow Escape.

Cn-Sarrow Escape.
Five miles out from Fort Worth as the
road runs and about three miles from
Fort Worth as the crow fies, on the route
that is miscalied the Decatur road,
there is way that leads around
to Marine creek, which must be crossed
before the traveller can pursue his wander
ing way to his destination. The road is
a first class county road, being from
county town to county town, and is noto-
rious as being the worst road northwsrd
of town in any direction. Nobody travels
this road II any other route can be
found, and travel is conhred to
unfortunate strangers who explore it for
the first time, and swesr they will never
do so again, sid to the unfortunate citi-
Z3ns who live on the road and cannot get
20 town by any other way.
The route has many defects. First, it
IS not straight; the road has been pushed
aside from direct route by
individual after individual until the
route IS something like the edge of cir
cular saw. At thirteen places on the
road there is rock cropping to the sur
face, and the traveller has the happy sat
isfaction of wearing cut his wagon in IN
due haste while he is also vast
ing his time. The road is long
way round, and it is long
way over over one hill. then
over another hill and so on. survey in
the courthouse, made by direction of the
Commissioners court sway back in an
cient history SHOWS that only one nile
and 8 half is lost to the traveller between
Marine creek and town-which being
multiplied by two makes only three miles
SIS dead loss of distance for those com
ing and going this short Journey Up
TO Thursday last men have
occasionally broken a wagon or buggy
81 the Marine creek crossing, but have
sustained no personal injuries to speak
OF. The Marine creek hill il no slight
decline, leading down gradually to the
creek, and SO permitting a slow move
ment in safety TO the bottom. 1t is a
sharp, rocky, dangerous jump-of, and is
so dangerous crossing to-day that if
something IS not soon Idone the county
will have some damage bills to pay.
short time since one Of the Old set
tiers OF Tarrant county was riding home
in his buggy rather late and had his
choice between two roads. His own read
was long enough and contained the
jump-of, and the other was seven miles
out Of the way. He chose his own first
class country road and landed himself on
one side and his buggy on the other
side Of the creek. He now trav-
els TO town by the road
that is only seven miles cut of his way.
He knows when he has had enough. On
last Thursday night one Paul Reeder, q
carpenter, was on his wey out from For?
Worth with heavy wagon and two old
steady horses. The wagon had no bed
upon it and was only half loaded with
lumber, which was tied securely enough
ID the wagon fer ordinary
travel. He reached Marine
hill about dusk, and locking d wheel pro-
ceeded downward-bump, bump, bump,
Mr.. Reeaer finally discovered his load
was loose, and his team discovered il
about the same time-then the locked
wheel got loose, and a race for the
bottom began. The horses got down
first, neck and neck, Reeder was 3 good
second, beating the wagon
all to pieces. The lumber was
scattered in al directions
Reeder IS badly injured and so is one OF
the horses, the wagon is q wreck, and the
| jump off is still there as good as it was
| before the accident.
From Fort Worth ont seven miles to-
wards D ,cstur there is as good piece OF
roadway as aDy country ever saw. 1t was
county road and from it the
public have been pushed piece by
piece until the road is very much as
above stated. Since the Grapevine road
is thrown out, would it not be we'll tC
resurrect the petition concerning the
Decatur road, which is Of no less lmpor-
lance. Much OF the distance can be
covered without cost to the county, and
verg likely the damages On other trscts
will be reasonable. The crossing 81
Marine creek eIdangers human life.